Thursday, December 27, 2012

Now that this year is coming to an end, we would like to make a special year on review blog post with 2012 biggest fashion trends. This is our very own perspective of the trends and, therefore, it's a subjective list.

Skinny Jeans

Skinny Jeans were a true mark of this year. We saw them is several flashy and neon colors, and also in more neutral colors. Basically skinny jeans came out from the 80s to make a stand for this year and they look stunning in several body types. Skinny jeans look particularly awesome in Straight and Hourglass body shapes and are a must have for this season. Don't have a pair? Check out these recommendations from our stylists:

Vintage Look Leather Bags

Leather was pretty much in fashion this year. Bags were looking kind of vintage and very "square" shaped. Whether black or brown, or even is some more colorful versions, a leather bag was the biggest fashion trend for bags this year.

Peplum mania

Peplum was also pretty hot this year. Brands have peplum for every body shape. If you're pear shapped, you could wear a more simple version of peplum without giving you volume in your bottom half, like this Origami Pleat Peplum Dress, from AX Paris. If your body shape in inverted triangle, you could wear this Taina studded peplum top, or this Leopard Peplum Skirt from AX Paris to balance with your larger upper body. If you're an hourglass, you can pretty much wear anything, as long as you balance properly your upper body with you lower body without adding unnecessary volume to your shape.

Animal Prints

Oh yeah! Leopard print was a true trend this year. Whether in shoes, bags or other accessories and clothes, leopard print was everywhere and we love it! But we also know that prints should be worn cautiously... we don't want you to look like the jungle queen. Our advice to you: wear prints on your skinniest half. If you're pear shapped wear it on the top half, if you're an inverted triangle wear it on your bottom half. Prints draw attention and you don't want to draw attention to your widest half. Here are some leopard print items available at our style shop:

Riding Boots

Riding boots are this seasons trend on footwear, specially the leather ones. They look amazing with casual dresses, skinny jeans, bootcut jeans and pretty much almost everything. They are also very comfy and therefore al women should have a pair. Check out these Kissa Riding Boots, from Ravel available at our style shop.

So, these are the top trends we elected for this year in review. But tell us, what do you think was the best trend of 2012?

Friday, December 21, 2012

First of all thank you so much for signing up with Styling Up. We hope you're enjoying your experience at our style shop.

We just launched a weekly newsletter especially for you. This newsletter is fully customized according to your body shape, which means that the newsletter you'll receive will not be same as someone elses newsletter. With this, you'll be able to see some of our latest stylist recommendations each week, confortably by receiving it in your inbox.

To make sure you receive our weekly newsletters and they don't go to your spam box please add @stylingup.com to your safe list.

We hope you enjoy this new service. Like every new service, this may have some issues, so if you notice anything unusual, please let us know. Your feedback is the best way to help us improve our service to you. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact us anytime.

We respect your privacy and we won't send you more than 1 weekly newsletter. If, for some reason, you don't want to receive our weekly newsletters with our stylists recommendations, just click unsubscribe, located below in the newsletter and we won't send you further newsletters.

Don't forget to spead the word about us! You can follow us in facebook, twitter, pinterest and linkedin. You can also invite your friends to join Styling Up, simply be logging in to your account in our website and clicking invite friends (you can invite them just by writing their e-mails). Thank you!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Carlos Martins is a devoted stylist at Styling
Up. His style is mainly casual chic and he dreams of styling Evan Rachel Wood
and Jonathan Myers.

He studied fashion in 2000 but his
professional path took him to interior design. He has been an interior designer
for over 6 years, but he kept dreaming of becoming a fashion stylist and he worked in theaters and contests as a wardrobe stylist ... he loves
combining colors, fabrics, textures, and he’s an art and design lover.

Carlos loves everything that is edgy and chic.
He started working at Styling Up right from the beginning and in our website he
has already styled hundreds of awesome outfits. You can find style recommendations from
Carlos in our style shop. Get to know this stylist a little better in the interview below.

How and when did you
start in the fashion styling career? Tell us your story.

As a fashion designer I worked at some projects
in the area like wardrobe for characters in theater and contests. I also work
as an Interior Designer at BoConcept. I made some interior projects and others
like commercial stands at Lisbon Fashion Week.
Right now,AAAARight now,
Rightcss I´m collaborating with
Styling Up at big scale, customizing outfits for all kind of clients and I’m also
working at a worldwide fashion brand, very known for its casual and luxurious
pieces, as a consultant.

What does fashion mean
to you?

Well... for me Fashion is like a statement of
art. It’s a large step for someone to become unique and singular!

What are your favorite
brands & designers? Why?

My favorite designers are Marc Jacobs, Tom
Ford, Dolce&Gabbana , Alexander Wang and so many others, because they all have an unique vision about
concept and style. Besides of fashion, I also love other visual arts like design, sculpture, and so on.

Pepe Jeans Dress

How would you define
your personal style?

My personal style is a mix of concepts and
brands… so, mainly, I define my personal style as trendy. I’m always looking
forward for trends and trying to discover new ways to approach my kind of look
and style. Like every other person, some days I feel like I need to conquer the
world with a new vision or statement, and on some other days I just get on a
more casual and discreet mood. This is why I say that my style is my own
statement… I follow my own rules, concept and style.

If you could pick 3
fashion must-haves that every woman should own, what would they be?

Funny, this is the old question that anyone
wants to know an answer for... It really
depends because every woman is different, but I think that every woman should have
one black dress, it doesn’t matter
if it’s simple because you can style it up with accessories; a fabulous pair of shoes and bag… This always
works and regarding the last two (shoes and bag) it really makes sense that you pay for quality (eg:
a pair of Louboutin).

Which season do you
prefer to style for: Autumn/Winter or Spring/Summer?

I love styling for the end of summer’s season,
when everyone is relaxed, and thinking about the sun, the beach, parties and
romance… everything is going on smoothly and perfectly and we can take some
fashion risks with colors and patterns and mix all that.

All in One Jersey Jumpsuit, Diesel

Of the clothes you
recommend in Styling Up's website, which is your favorite for this
Autumn/Winter season?

Actually, I love several outfits for different
reasons: This dress from Pepe Jeans, though it’s casual, I think it makes a
beauty statement; This Jumpsuit from Diesel is very trendy and sophisticated
and I think that this color is great for this season and I think it’s awesome
to wear to a party or cocktail; This pleated dress from Missguided is great for
someone who wants to be unique and make a statement wearing a more bright color…
I also find the color very refreshing.

If you could be a fashion stylist to one
person, dead or alive, who would it be?

Probably Evan Rachel Wood and Jonathan Myers. Both
are young and have a peculiar attitude. They also represent so many things I
enjoy, like for example indie movies, music, art and they both also rock at big
parties. I would love to create
their next style.

What do you think
about fashion blogs and magazines? Which ones do you check out regularly?

I love both fashion blogs and magazines,
because we can learn so much about fashion, designers and what will be trending
next season. Since everyone has different ways of looking at fashion, it’s
great to read about different perspectives and discuss it.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Many of you have already asked this question over and over again. And we heard you :) . As you probably already know, Styling Up is a website that provides a free online fashion styling service to all women. After registering in our website, users will only find clothes that fit their size and flatter their body type. So, in our website we already know our users body shape, but we never shared that information with them, so they didn't know their body type.

Now, users and non users may calculate their body shape in our body shape calculator page, just by entering their bust, waist and hip measurements, in inches or cm. After clicking in "calculate my body type" button, you'll be redirected to your body shape.

We consider 6 body shapes: Hourglass, Pear, Inverted Triangle, Diamond, Oval (or Apple) and Straight (or Rectangle). Each body type has its own characteristics and, to dress proportionally and to create the illusion of an hourglass shape (if you don't have it already), you should really know what's your body type.

For example, if your body shape is Inverted Triangle, in other words, that means that your bust and shoulders are broader than your hips. To create the right proportions, tou should look for bottoms that balance your lower haf with your uper half, like full or A-line skirts or wide legs / boot cut trousers. This is just an example of how knowing your body type can really help you feel better about your body and help you embrace your body type and feel more confident about yourself. No matter what size you wear.

In our body type calculator page (click on the image above) you'll not only be able to find out what's your body shape, but you'll also have access to a tips page especially dedicated to your body shape. You'll find some tops and bottoms recommendations and also some pictures of celebrities that have the same body shape as you. Most importantly, you'll also see some of the clothes recommendations of our fashion stylists, especially for your body type.

So, what are you waiting for? Take your bust, waist and hip measurements and go find out what's your body type, and take a peek at some of the clothes recommended by our stylists.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Raquel Lança is a passionate fashion stylist that has been working with Styling Up right from the beginning. She's also a daily blogger at her own blog, Clínica de Estilo.

Though she first graduated in Tourism and worked as a travel agent for several years, her true passion was always related to fashion and style, and she always knew that it was her dream to become a fashion stylist.

She fought to pursue her dream and she did it, and now Raquel works full time as a fashion stylist. For her, fashion “has something to do with breathing”, and she says that like it or not, style is always your first impression ticket. Check out her interview and get to know her a little better. You can also find style recommendations from Raquel in Styling Up’s style shop.

How and when did you start being a fashion stylist? Tell us your story.

I remember that, since at a very young age that I love fashion. Back then it was very hard to do something besides being a fashion designer. Since I didn’t actually had any drawing skills to become a fashion designer, my hobby was to style everyone, not only members of the family, but also friends. Every time there an important event was coming, I was called to help.
I used to work as a travel agent, and I did it for 12 years, but since I was very unhappy at that job, I decided to take a graduation in 2010 as a fashion advisor to fulfill my big passion! And a new life started…

What are you currently working on?

I mainly work with real people and help them when they’re going to a big event. I also help people in creating wardrobes for themselves, or just help cleaning their wardrobes, by choosing the clothes that best fit their style, body type, quality, etc.
I also dedicate myself, every day, to my fashion and style blog, called Clínica de Estilo. And that also requires much dedication and time.

What does fashion mean to you?

Well I guess it has something to do with breathing... I cannot live without it!

What are your favorite brands & designers?

My favorite brands are Balenciaga, Pucci, Valentino, Helmut Lang, Zanotti, Manolo Blahnick, Aquazurra, Zac Posen and Balmain. They are all very different in style, but I guess that’s also a personal characteristic of mine, because I can’t identify myself with just one style.
Like most women, shoes are my true love so I’m always seeking new brands and new designer shoes.

How would you define your personal style?

I am a very eclectic person and I don’t have a specific style. Each day, I choose what I’m wearing, based on my humor, where I’m going and what I’m doing. I really like to dress according to the situation, and when I feel I’m not matching my very own wardrobe expectations, I’ll keep thinking that I should be wearing a different outfit… just like a lunatic!!! :)

If you could pick 3 fashion must-haves that every woman should own, what would they be?

I think that all women’s wardrobe should have are a fabulous trench coat, a pair of dark blue jeans and a simple white shirt.

What was your greatest challenge as a fashion stylist, and how did you solve it?

The greater challenge as a fashion stylist is always when someone really likes a piece of clothing, that we already know that’s not good for their figure. This does happen often. What I usually do is: I ask them to try that piece of clothing on, and then I ask them to try another one that I think is most flattering for their body type, to see if we can reach an agreement. If that trick doesn`t work, I’ll try to negotiate later with another piece.

What’s that great fashion tip that you can share with us?

Be yourself, don`t imitate others! Style is a very personal matter, because it tells people who you are. There’s usually just one opportunity to make a good first impression, and everyone should always look at their best.

Which season do you prefer to style for: Autumn/Winter or Spring/Summer?

I prefer Autumn/Winter mainly because there are lots of accessories to choose from, like gloves, rain-coats, hats, scarves, etc.
But I also love the Spring/Summer Season because of the sandals… and I love sandals!

Of the outfits you recommend in Styling Up's website, which is your favorite for this Autumn/Winter season?

For me these Wet Look Leggings from Miss Sixty(on the left) are a statement for this Season. With these, you can create outfits for work, leisure or evening… they just have to be styled perfectly. They’ll look great with faux fur, a white shirt or a big jumper. I believe they’re a great investment for this Autumn/Winter Season!

What do you think about fashion blogs and magazines? Which ones do you check out regularly?

I think fashion blogs are great because we can get all the information/news we need at a click distance. The only aspect that I find negative is that most of them only focus on trends and nothing more… and the common reader, when reads that, thinks that those trends are good for them and that may not be true, because we all have different body types and styles. Not all trends suit our body type and style! I usually check out a lot of fashion blogs daily, but they’re based on different countries like Brazil, Spain, Italy and, of course, Portugal. I also buy “Harpers Bazaar” and “Vogue” every month.

What would you say to all those youngsters who want to start a styling career. Any advice?

Be prepared to work very hard every day! And be humble to learn from others.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

As an Hourglass body shape, your bust and hips are a symbol of harmony. They are very well balanced and your waist is very well defined. Your shoulders align beautifully with your hips and you probably have a rounded bottom and shapely legs.

If you're an Hourglass body type, congratulations, you have a Marilyn Monroe body shape, a symbol of harmony and perfection. If you're not sure about what is your body type, please view a description of all body types.

Styling tips for Hourglass

First of all, do show off those killer curves and do not hide yourself behind baggy clothes. You curves are awesome and your body type is the sexiest as there can be! To enhance those killer curves, we advise that you dress proportionally both the top and bottom half of your body, while accentuating your waist.

If you're looking for a more curvaceous look, you can also "play" with proportion, and add a bit of volume to your upper and lower half. Please note that we mean proportionatelly, because your body already has the right proportions naturally, and you should always look for balance.

Tops

Wear tops that will accentuate your waist:

Form-fitting and wrap-style tops;

Belted tops;

Tailored Jackets and shirts.

Bottoms

As an hourglass, you're lucky enough that you can wear most type of bottoms. Just as long as you pair it with a proper top:

High-waisted pants and pencil skirts;

Skinny jeans, boot cut and straight leg trousers;

Flap pocket pants;

Skirts that show off your shapely legs.

As for some tips and tricks for your body type, we can advise that a good bra, with good support and great fit is key to define your curves. Here are also a few Do's and Don'ts styling tips that can help you style your beautiful Hourglass Body type:

Hourglass body shape Do's:

Elongate your torso with coats and jackets with a two button fastening just below the bust line;

Take advantage of your awesome waist with form fitting clothes;

Round and peep toe shoes can really echo your curves;

You look awesome with a sexy pencil skirt;

Choose wide open and V necklines because it will define your bust line.

Hourglass body type Don'ts:

Don't wear tops and blouses that add volume where it is not needed, except when you balance that with a lower body volume, wearing it with a flowy trouser or skirt;

If you need additional help to find clothes for your body type, please visit our website: http://stylingup.com, where you can find clothes recommended by our fashion stylists. If you have any question, you can also comment on this post and we'll gladly help.

Friday, October 19, 2012

One month ago we were very excited with the launch our beta website, that provides a free personal styling service to women!! Our baby was born at 17h10, of 19th September :)

Now that a month has passed and you had to chance to use it, we'd like to ask you for feedback. Help us build a better service for you by giving us feedback.

Please use the contact form in our website to leave questions, comments, suggestions or "report a bug" regarding stylingup.com. Whether you'd like to see a specific brand in our website, or would like to suggest an improvement to our service, your feedback can really help us to help you...

Your opinion matters to us! Please use the contact form in our website. We'll carefully read and reply to all e-mails. Thank you!

About Styling Up

Styling Up is an online fashion styling service for women based on body shape and size where all clothes are recommended by fashion stylists. Check out our style shop to see what our stylists recommend for you.